Notes

Oakland Athletics catcher Terry Steinbach was in fair condition in a Chicago hospital yesterday after being struck in the head by a pitch Saturday night.

The nature and extent of Steinbach's injuries hadn't been determined, nor had doctors estimated how long Steinbach would be hospitalized, Joan Hession, acting director of Mercy Hospital, said.

Steinbach said: "I don't think I could go and run a marathon or anything. But I feel a lot better. There's nothing broken or anything around the skull or internally. It's just a matter of giving it some time off and recovering."

Steinbach was hit by Chicago White Sox reliever Bobby Thigpen in the ninth inning Saturday night. The ball struck the left ear flap of Steinbach's helmet.

Oakland manager Tony La Russa sprinted from the dugout when Steinbach was hit, picked up a bat and hurled it onto the screen behind home plate.

After a delay of several minutes, Steinbach sat up and was taken off the field on a stretcher.

Oakland outfielder Rickey Henderson and Chicago second baseman Scott Fletcher then started yelling at each other. A's coach Rick Burleson ran from the dugout toward second base, and both benches emptied.

Outside La Russa's office after the game, Associated Press stringer Bob Glass referred to the beaning by saying: "That had to be a very scary moment."

La Russa responded by screaming, "I'll yell if I want to," before ending the group interview and ordering the reporter out of the room.

"Don't pull that. Be a man," Glass shouted.

La Russa turned back toward the reporter and was visibly upset.

"Be a man, my player is on the ground. That guy has about as much sense as a buzzard," he said, referring to Glass.

* GIANTS: Left fielder Kevin Mitchell, who has 10 home runs, will have exploratory arthroscopic surgery today on his left knee and be placed on the disabled list.

Mitchell, who had been sidelined recently with what had been diagnosed as a strained ligament, returned to the starting lineup Friday night and complained of soreness Saturday after driving in three runs.

* DODGERS: Darryl Strawberry was scheduled last night for an Magnetic Resonance Imaging exam of his left shoulder, the one that had been ailing the outfielder since he crashed into the fence at Dodger Stadium on May 15.

Strawberry, who signed a five-year, $20.25 million free-agent contract in December after leaving the New York Mets, didn't play in the Dodgers' 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds yesterday, the first game he missed after playing in six straight.

The team had set the exam for today, but it was moved up at Strawberry's request.

Strawberry had his shoulder looked at by team physician Dr. Frank Jobe and told reporters he had a painful reaction when his arm was moved. Strawberry figures to be out at least a week.